Kane County has been awarded more than $2.27 million in federal disaster aid for five infrastructure projects aimed at alleviating chronic flooding in southern Kane County.

The projects—which will cost an estimated $5.3 million—are expected to create approximately 165 jobs and benefitsome 2,000 residents.

In Big Rock, the funds will help offset the cost of designing and constructing drainage projects in the Berman Estates and Tenerelli subdivisions, and the separation of sanitary and storm sewer systems throughout the village.

In Aurora Township, the funds will help pay for an upgraded storm sewer system in the Pasadena Drive neighborhood.

The federal funding is part of the Illinois “IKE” Disaster Recovery Program, which was established after the remnants of Hurricane Ike swept through the state in September 2008. The storm dumped between 8 and 10 inches of rain on Kane County, causing then-President George Bush to declare Kane and 40 other northeast Illinois counties a federal disaster area.

“We never know when the next flooding event will hit our area,” said Kane County Board ChairmanKaren McConnaughay. “These funds will help us put the infrastructure in place today that will help protect our residents in the future.”

The federal funding awarded to Kane County will be matched with funds from various state and local sources, including Kane County’s Cost-Share Program, the Aurora Township Highway Department, and a $2.5 million loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Information for this article is from a press release issued by Kane County.